Raise your Quality Score by fixing the part that is weak

The short answer

To improve Quality Score, find out which of its three parts is rated below average and fix that part. Google rates every Search keyword from 1 to 10 based on expected click-through rate, ad relevance and landing page experience. Tighten ad groups so each ad matches a small set of closely related keywords. Write ads that repeat the searcher’s words and give a reason to click. Send each ad group to a fast page about that exact service.

Work on your highest-spend keywords first. Google says Quality Score is a diagnostic tool, not an input to the auction, but the same quality signals feed Ad Rank, which decides where your ad shows and what you pay.

What Quality Score actually measures

According to Google Ads Help, as of 2026, Quality Score is reported at the keyword level on a 1-10 scale for Search campaigns. Each of the three components is rated above average, average or below average compared with other advertisers whose ads showed for the exact same search over the last 90 days.

Ad Rank, which Google uses to order ads, has six factors: your bid, the quality of your ads and landing page, Ad Rank thresholds, the competitiveness of the auction, the context of the search and the expected impact of your assets. Quality improvements let you compete without simply raising bids.

How to see your Quality Score

1. In Google Ads, go to Keywords for your Search campaigns.
2. Add the columns Quality Score, Exp. CTR, Ad relevance and Landing page exp. from the Quality Score section.
3. Add Cost and Conversions, then sort by cost.
4. Note which component is below average on each of your top 20 keywords. That is your work list.

Keywords with a dash instead of a score do not have enough recent searches. Do not worry about them; focus where the money goes.

How to improve ad relevance

• Split broad ad groups. If one ad group holds “roof repair”, “roof replacement” and “gutter cleaning”, no single ad fits them all. Give each service its own ad group.
• Use the keyword theme in headlines. Responsive search ads accept up to 15 headlines. Include the service in several, along with location and benefits.
• Match the intent, not just the words. Someone searching “emergency” wants speed. Someone searching “cost” wants pricing information or a quote.
• Remove keywords that do not belong. A keyword that keeps scoring low relevance may simply be in the wrong ad group, or not worth bidding on.

How to improve expected CTR

• Be specific. Ads that name the service, the area and a concrete reason to choose you get more clicks than vague promises.
• Add assets. Sitelinks, callouts, call assets and structured snippets make the ad larger and more useful.
• Stop showing to the wrong people. Irrelevant impressions drag CTR down. Review the search terms report and add negative keywords every week.
• Check location and schedule. Ads shown far outside your area, or at hours you cannot answer, get fewer clicks.
• Test, then keep the winners. Run two ad variations per ad group, give them enough impressions and replace the weaker one.

Not sure why your scores are low?

Book a free 30-minute call. We review your Google Ads account and landing pages and tell you what we would change first. No obligation. Pick a time.

How to improve landing page experience

Landing page problems are a common reason for low scores in service businesses, often because ads point at the home page.

• One page per service. The page should use the same words as the ad and the keyword, and answer the obvious questions right away.
• Speed and mobile. Many local searches happen on phones. A page that is slow or hard to use on a small screen loses clicks and quality signals. See our explainer on Core Web Vitals.
• Clear contact options. A visible phone number, a short form and clear next steps.
• Trust and transparency. Who you are, where you work, reviews and real photos. Avoid pop-ups that block the content.

Our guide to landing pages versus home pages for ads covers what a good ad landing page includes.

A worked example

This example is illustrative. A heating and cooling company has “ac repair” at Quality Score 4: ad relevance average, expected CTR below average, landing page below average. The ad group also contained furnace keywords, and the ad sent people to the home page.

The fix: a separate AC repair ad group, headlines that say AC repair and the service area, call and sitelink assets, negatives for “jobs”, “parts” and “DIY”, and a dedicated AC repair page with the phone number at the top. After a few weeks of new data, the ratings move, and with them the cost and position of the ad. The exact change varies by market, so judge it by cost per lead, not by the score itself.

Mistakes to avoid

• Chasing a 10 on every keyword. Google itself says Quality Score is a diagnostic, not a key performance indicator.
• Changing match types or re-adding keywords to reset scores. Google bases Quality Score on past impressions for exact searches of the keyword, and says changing match types does not affect it.
• Judging low-volume keywords. Small samples swing; focus on keywords with real spend.
• Fixing ads but leaving the page. Landing page experience is often the biggest lever.

A quick checklist for each ad group

Run through these questions for your ten most expensive ad groups. Each “no” is a likely cause of a low rating.

• Does every keyword in the ad group describe the same service?
• Does at least one headline contain the main keyword or a close version of it?
• Does the ad mention your area and a concrete reason to choose you?
• Are sitelinks, callouts and a call asset active?
• Has someone added negatives from this ad group’s search terms in the last two weeks?
• Does the landing page heading use the same words as the ad?
• Does the page load quickly on a phone and show a tappable phone number?

Fixing these on a handful of ad groups usually covers most of the spend in a small account.

How JLB USA helps

JLB USA has done marketing for growing businesses for more than 15 years. Our Google Ads management is adjusted weekly: search terms, negative keywords, ads and bids, with reporting on cost per lead. When landing pages are the problem, our web design team builds pages that match the ads.

Keep reading

• Performance Max vs Search campaigns for lead generation
• Negative keywords list for Google Ads: how to build one, with starter lists
• Google Shopping ads vs Performance Max: control, reporting and when to run both
• Google Ads agency in Fort Lauderdale: what good PPC management includes

Related services

• Google Ads management
• Landing page vs homepage for ads
• Core Web Vitals explained
• What Google Ads costs